Written Assembly Questions tabled on 11 July 2017 for answer on 18 July 2017

R - Signifies the Member has declared an interest.W - Signifies that the question was tabled in Welsh.

(Self-identifying question no. shown in brackets)

Written Questions must be tabled at least five working days before they are to be answered. In practice, Ministers aim to answer within seven/eight days but are not bound to do so. Answers are published in the language in which they are provided, with a translation into English of responses provided in Welsh.

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy):Will the Cabinet Secretary provide a list of all Welsh Government pilot programmes commenced in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, within the economy and infrastructure portfolio, and note which were approved for wider roll-out? (WAQ73840)

Answer recieved on 14 July 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Infrastructure (Ken Skates): This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): Further to the answer to WAQ73727, what plans does the Welsh Government have to work with the manufacturer of ORKAMBI in order to try to secure the drug at a price that is affordable to the NHS? (WAQ73835)

Answer recieved on 14 July 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Well-Being and Sport (Vaughan Gething): It was for the manufacturer, Vertex, to offer an appropriate price during the NICE appraisal process such that the cost was in balance with the expected benefits of their medicine. Should the manufacturer wish to reconsider their pricing they may do so and consider submitting for re-appraisal. However this will remain subject to assessment against the overall benefits.

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy): Will the Cabinet Secretary provide a list of all Welsh Government pilot programmes commenced in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, within the health, well-being and sport portfolio, and note which were approved for wider roll-out? (WAQ73837)

Answer recieved on 14 July 2017

Vaughan Gething: This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Leanne Wood (Rhondda):How many training places for clinical psychologists have been commissioned for the last three years? (WAQ73842) Leanne Wood (Rhondda):How many training places for HCPC practitioner psychologists have been commissioned in the last 3 years? (WAQ73843) Leanne Wood (Rhondda):What assessments have been undertaken by both the Welsh Government and local health boards about future workforce requirements for clinical psychologists? (WAQ73844)

Answer recieved on 17 July 2017

Vaughan Gething: In NHS Wales, responsibility for workforce planning is with health boards and trusts, as they are best placed to ensure the services they plan are matched to peoples needs – both now and in the future.

In order to achieve this they need to submit Integrated Medium Term Plans (IMTPs) that evidence an understanding of their challenges and priorities and the actions needed to achieve them in a financially sustainable way.

In February, I announced a £95m package to support a range of education and training programmes in Wales. As part of this package, I was able to maintain the level of investment in clinical psychology - 27 training places. This is the highest number of training places since devolution.

The table below sets out the level of training places commissioned in Wales from 2015 to 2017.

2015

2016

2017

27

27

27

There are seven types of psychologists, of which only clinical psychology is identified in IMTPs and commissioned for NHS Wales.These seven types of psychologists can legally use the protected title of practitioner psychologist – but this is not a profession in its own right and therefore not commissioned.

Leanne Wood (Rhondda):Will the Cabinet Secretary provide a breakdown, by local health board, of the expenditure spent on health services for people with learning disabilities? (WAQ73845)

Answer recieved on 19 July 2017

Vaughan Gething: This information is publicly available on the Welsh Government website:

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy):Will the Cabinet Secretary provide a list of all Welsh Government pilot programmes commenced in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, within the environment and rural affairs portfolio, and note which were approved for wider roll-out? (WAQ73838)

Answer recieved on 14 July 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Environment and Rural Affairs (Lesley Griffiths): This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy):Will the Cabinet Secretary provide a list of all Welsh Government pilot programmes commenced in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, within the communities and children portfolio, and note which were approved for wider roll-out? (WAQ73841)

Answer recieved on 14 July 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children (Carl Sargeant): This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Janet Finch-Saunders (Aberconwy):Will the Cabinet Secretary provide a list of all Welsh Government pilot programmes commenced in 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2016-17, within the education portfolio, and note which were approved for wider roll-out? (WAQ73839)

Answer recieved on 14 July 2017

The Cabinet Secretary for Education (Kirsty Williams): This information could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): What plans does the Cabinet Secretary have to introduce guidance teachers in Wales? (WAQ73833)

Answer recieved on 17 July 2017

Kirsty Williams: It is for schools to decide if they want to recruit teachers who predominantly deal with pastoral issues.

I am committed to putting effective pupil support in place to ensure that children and young people are physically and emotionally ready to learn. This is why we're adding Wellbeing as a key objective in the next iteration of Qualified for Life, our education improvement plan. It was implicit before, but now it will be made explicit.

We have some interesting evidence around pupil support. The Public Policy Institute for Wales convened an expert group in November 2015, to provide advice on the best ways to provide effective pupil support in secondary schools.

PPIW published a report in 2015 to summarise the findings of the expert group.

The Successful Futures report by Professor Graham Donaldson identified four purposes of education – one of which is to support children and young people to become healthy, confident individuals. In addition, the report sets out 6 Areas of Learning Experiences (AoLEs) as central to the structure of the new curriculum; one of these AoLEs is Health and well-being.

Pioneer Schools and practitioners are at the heart of the development of the new curriculum, working with education professionals and other experts across Wales and beyond (including; Estyn, regional consortia, Higher Education, business and other key partners). It is their collective expertise that will shape the new curriculum and the underpinning national approach to professional Learning.

The next phase of AoLE development will present further opportunities to align professional learning requirements with work to develop, populate and test evolving models for each AoLE (Strand 3). This approach will also ensure early identification of emerging professional learning requirements, including strategies to support health and well being.Lynne Neagle (Torfaen): How does the Cabinet Secretary intend to ensure that initial teacher education in Wales adequately prepares teachers to promote emotional resilience and well-being in children and young people? (WAQ73834)

Answer recieved on 13 July 2017

Kirsty Williams: I am committed to the success and well-being of every learner. And it is clear if we are to achieve our transformational education reforms we will require a high-quality education workforce that is vibrant, engaged and committed to continuous learning for all. For this to happen, we must get Wales’ initial teacher education (ITE) offer right.

In the future ITE Partnerships (that is a university and a representative group of schools) will design and deliver ITE programmes that support the four purposes of the curriculum for Wales and address the six areas of learning and experience.

To ensure more specific consideration of how ITE programmes will raise the quality of ITE provision I have empowered the Education Workforce Council (EWC) to accredit individual ITE programmes, through the establishment of the Initial School Teacher Training Committee (“the Board”). In future, all new and existing programmes of ITE will need to be accredited by the Board, who will decide whether a proposed programme of ITE realises the vision for ITE and addresses every matter referred to in the Criteria. In doing so, the Board will seek to ensure that any programme is demanding, credible and professionally appropriate.

Accreditation makes clear that it is expected that ITE Partnerships will develop approaches to assist aspiring teachers to manage their own wellbeing, as well as their ability to contribute to the wellbeing of the pupils in their care. For both groups, it is important that they are supported to overcome barriers to their learning and to help them in having positive physical, social and mental states. ITE programmes should also include opportunities for understanding the role of wellbeing in effective learning, including the ability to identify pupils who are at risk of experiencing poor wellbeing, and should provide opportunities for students to examine the most effective models deployed by schools and their partners to improve the wellbeing of all learners.

The Criteria for the accreditation of initial teacher education programmes in Wales: Teaching Tomorrows’ Teachers published 15 March, alongside the new professional teaching and leadership standards, reflects shared ambitions and pride for the profession. From initial teacher education, into the classroom and through career-long professional learning, our national approach focusses on ensuring and further developing a high-quality teaching profession.